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Saturday, October 03, 2009

The Great White Joke

Eric Cantor is planning on making a run for it in 2012. Of course it goes without saying that he's never going to get the nomination. That is beyond a foregone conclusion; that is as much of a no-brainer as saying that the sun will set this evening in the west. The religious bigots that now control the Republican party - the so-called "base" - will never - EVER -nominate a Jew as their standard bearer. You can bet next month's mortgage on that. Pigs will fly, the earth will fry and David Duke will be made president of the NAACP before that ever happens.

I get a really uneasy feeling whenever I see Eric Cantor being interviewed on television. The main goal of the GOP these days is to insure that President Obama's administration is a complete and utter failure. They want to see as many Americans as possible suffer in the next three years, ensuring that they will be able to seize control of the executive branch in 2013. If the president succeeds in making life better for his countrymen and women, they fail. It's as simple as that. Mitch McConnell, to his credit, always looks quite uncomfortable when he is forced to justify policies as atrocious as those being put forward these days by that hideous party. But Cantor always has a serene, angelic smile on his face whenever he is forced to defend the morally indefensible - sort of like last week, at a Town Hall meeting when he told a woman whose mortally ill relativehad been left bankrupt by her medical bills that she should rely on charity. He seemed so content with himself. Quite strange really.

Here's something that makes Congressman Eric Cantor quite unique among Republican politicians: he's not an idiot. Is he merely going through the motions in order to appease the Right Wing assholes who seriously thought that placing Sarah Palin on the ticket as John McCain's running mate was a really nifty idea? Is his ultimate goal to move the "party of Lincoln" back toward the center? My gut-feeling is that he doesn't really believe half the bullshit that he is forced spout, like a half-witted myna bird, day-in and day-out. In that respect he is just like all the rest of them. They have a direction they want to take this country. It is a direction that you and I do not want to go. Trust me.

Almost nine months ago the worst administration in American history mercifully ended. Prior to the judicial coup d'etat that installed George W. Bush in 2000, the biggest nightmare for all progressive-minded people was the extreme right controlling the three branches of our government. Well, for six long and miserable years (2001-2007) they did. And what did it get us? A trillion-plus dollar deficit. Seriously, do we really want to put those people in charge again? I didn't think so.

If you think about it for a moment or two, Eric Cantor would be the ideal Republican nominee in '12. The Semitic Ronald Reagan! He's good looking, he has a really nice speaking voice, perfect manners, a lovely wife, three well-behaved children - and all the substance of a hot air balloon. The guy is made to order, are you kidding me? And just think of the marketing possibilities for the GOP spin doctors:

WE MADE HISTORY FOUR YEARS AGO BY ELECTING A BLACK GUY AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. LET'S DO IT AGAIN BY ELECTING A JEWISH GUY!

I can see it now.

You would think that the Republican National Committee would be working overtime to ensure that this nitwit gets the nomination three years from now. You would think that they would be foolish not to have the Cantor-for-President machine in overdrive at this very moment, wouldn't you? Ah! We have hit on the crux of the problem, my friends: THEY ARE FOOLS! They and a whole lot of folks who tend to vote in Republican primaries (especially in the deep south).

Consider this: In 2008 the GOP's most impressive candidate, in every respect, was Mitt Romney (which isn't saying much, but there you have it). Who did they end up nominating? Sleepy ol' John McCain - with nuttier-than-bat-shit Sarah Palin thrown in just to keep things interesting. Had they been smart (I know what you're thinking - me, too) they would have nominated Romney. Like Eric Cantor, he's got the Ronald Reagan thing happening for him- only this time it's the Mormon version. Had that happened, Mitt - not Barack - would be sleeping in the Executive mansion at this very moment. How could they be so stupid to let such a good thing get away, you may well ask? What prevented Romney from getting the nomination last year is the same thing that will prevent Cantor from getting it three years from now - his religion. It sort of makes ya wonder why these two became Republicans in the first place, doesn't it?.

My purpose is not to imply that if the GOP are sinners, the Dems are necessarily saints. That's so far from the case that it's barely worth commenting on. One of my missions in the next year is to see to it that every one of those miserable "Blue Dog Democrats" who voted against the Public Option are beaten senseless in the next primary season. The party of Franklin Roosevelt needs to be sanitized.The point I am trying to make is that unlike your average Republican politician, when a Democrat says something hysterically funny, that's usually their intent.

Did you happen to catch Michelle Bachmann's stand-up routine this week? There she was on the floor of the Congress, warning her fellow Americans that if health clinics come to American schools, it would mean mass abortions for hundreds of thousands teenage girls across the country. It was an absolute scream!

Like all people on the extreme Right, Eric Cantor is unintentionally funny. Part of the fun of watching him is the fact that at times he seems not to know what the hell he is talking about. On more than one occasion (and I am hardly the first person to point this out) he has seemed to possess little - if any - real knowledge of more than a few points of the health care debate. Like Reagan before him - handsome face; clueless mind. He is the made-to-order Republican candidate. In the present, to be telegenic is to succeed in politics. Intellect means nothing anymore. In today's atmosphere Jefferson and Lincoln wouldn't stand a chance against the likes of Michelle Bachmann and Eric Cantor. As the Moody Blues used to sing, isn't life strange?It's a great time to be alive. It really is! The horrific train wreck that we euphemistically refer to as "the American political system" is so interesting and indescribably amusing. I am up every morning before the crack of dawn just so I can be at the Kwik Stop grocery storedown town when the papers arrive (There's a shameless plug for you, Ben. I'll expect a check in the mail). After a mere ten minutes with the New York Daily News or the Times, I look up to the heavens with profound gratitude and quietly say, "Thank you." For someone who makes his or her name by writing about politics, these people can only be described as a celestial gift. And while we're on the subject, is it just me or have you noticed lately that C-SPAN is starting to look more and More like Comedy Central? I was just wondering.

Tom DeganGoshen, NYtomdegan@frontiernet.net

AFTERTHOUGHT:

This might be nit picking on my part but it really bugs me. Every time I type the name, "Obama" the good folks at Spell Check inform me that I have gotten the spelling wrong. Here are their suggested corrections:

Their suggestions for my "misspelling" of the name "Barack" are almost as amusing:

Ba rackBa-rackBarrackBarebackBarabbas

I just got through typing up a list of all forty-three men who have served as chief executive. Spell Check tells me that I got every name right (or, in the case of Martin Van Buren, half right) with one exception. You guessed it: "Barack Obama". The guy has been in the public eye for over five years now. He's been president for nine months! You would think they might have fixed that by now, wouldn't you?

That reminds me. Can anyone please explain to me just what the hell an "Obadias" is? It's not in Webster's Dictionary.

I too thought that Romney would be the GOP forerunner, was absolutely shocked when Grandpa McCain got it. And you're right in the correlation between Romney and Cantor. But I'm not so sure about saying never. If perhaps they learned their lesson with the Palin fiasco they might be forced to put up poster boy Cantor or Romney, they being GOP.

As much as the crazy R wingers love Palin I think the party knows that main stream America will never endorse her. Looks like 2012 will be even crazier than 08. And the mid-term elections in 2010 I think will be quite nasty and a lot of seats lost.

Hi Tom,Another great post and I must admit that so far I have not given Cantor much thought as a front runner for the nomination. The big joke here is the other names that are being tossed around. Well, we are all friends here, at least most of us are, so it is no use chewing the same things over and over, but the one thing that is extremely obvious is that the GOP is rudderless, floundering and grasping at straws trying to become relevant again.

It will be interesting to see what happens to their most unhinged members. Crazy Michelle Bachmann who seems obsessed with teen age sexual matters, John Boehner who can't find anyone who is in favor of a public option in health care, James Inhofe who is not worried about global warming because "God is in charge" - well maybe - but so far God hasn't been doing a very good job with it. And Palin - okay, I will take a pass there, plus all of the outstanding Republicans who can't keep their pants on or stay in their own beds.

Incidentally have you noticed how so many of their "rising stars" crash and burn? Santorum, Frist and countless others. Where are they now?

Tom, far as I can see it, what all of the Cantors and his GOP ilk (whether Jewish or gentile) want to make sure of is one thing and one thing only: that some big fat "thank you" bucks await them from their corporate masters once they get tired of pretending to be in "public service."

Reaganomics: "Socialize the risks, privatize the profits."

Oh, and Joel, we Jews expect the word to be capitalized. Even us liberal Jews.

My gut-feeling is that he doesn't really believe half the bullshit that he is forced spout, like a half-witted myna bird, day-in and day-out.

Unless Cantor gets off the Kool-Aid and starts making some sense, he will lack the credibility with moderate Democrats and and independents needed to wil the general election. Unless he stays on the Kool-Aid to cater to the GOP sheeple, he'll never get the nomination. You're right. He has no chance at all.

One of my missions in the next years is to see to it that every one of those miserable "Blue Dog Democrats" who voted against the Public Option are beaten senseless in the next primary season.

Having a slight problem with my spelling I am constantly relying on spell check so it really pisses me off when that happens. Once again I think your country has a great President and I wish that the authorities would recognise this, accept him and for Gods sake put his goddam name in the spell check dictionary. Then let him get on with what is a tough job, never mind the fixing that needs doing. We have a similar problem this side of the pond with no candidate worthy enough to compare with your President. I wish he would adopt us lol

Republicans nominated the first half-Jewish man for president, Barry Goldwater in 1964. Presumably if you hate Jews, you really wouldn't have cared that Goldwater's mother wasn't Jewish. Yet, he got the nomination.

I think it has to be pointed out that one can't be "half-Jewish". Either one accepts the tenets of Judaism or one does not. A Christian does not halfheartedly accept Jesus Christ as the messiah.

In 1964 Barry Goldwater's Jewish ancestry was not widely reported. The overwhelming majority of the American people had no idea of his religious roots. The only thing that the public knew about his faith was that he was born and raised (and would die) a Christian.

And yes, as you accurately point out, he did get the nomination - but he lost the election. His "half-Jewishness" had not a thing to do with it, however. 1964 was LBJ's year.

@Tom Degan,Years ago, I used to think Democratis Senator Russ Feingold would be the first Presidential contender of Jewish descent, but he seems too principled and too direct and probably would stand as much of a chance as a Dennis Kucinich... -and now he's been a Senator for too long and has too much of a record to explain, never mind he was on the people's side on most issues. In Today's world, (Divorced twice and other irrelevant shit) he'd get beaten to death over nonsense.-SJ

I agree with you more than I can say. Early on in the 2008 campaign Russ Feingold was the one I was praying would run. The day he announced that he would not be a candidate was one of the saddest ones of my life. The guy is the real deal. I only hope that the people of Wisconsin appreciate what a great senator they have. I wouldn't mind one of those here in New York myself.

@Tom Degan,Well, Schumer's not too bad, still unapologetically behind Healthcare Reform and I've actually gotten him on the phone twice when I've called. We've also had Jacob Javitz, one of the all time great Senators representing any where at any time, so in retrospect sometimes I feel lucky.

And thanks Tom, the feeling's mutual; we've put you on our blog roll.-SJ

Well, Barry's last name was "Goldwater" and he certainly never hid the fact that his father was Jewish (it was stated in most national newspapers at the time). I would kind of doubt that most people who hated Jews, even in 1964, wouldn't have figured he was of Jewish ancestry based on his name. As for "half Jewish", Goldwater referred to himself that way. And he still won most of the South.

Anyway, in a 2007 Gallup poll, 91% of Republicans said they would vote for a Jew for President. That's about the same percentage as Democrats. Only 70% of Republicans, however, said they would vote for a Mormon for President (it was something like 85% for a woman). So looks like Cantor's got about a 20% advantage over Romney.

BTW, there was a different question in that 2007 poll - "Do you think the country is ready for a Jewish president?". 45% of Democrats said yes. The striking thing is, 65% of Republicans said yes. Interesting difference in mindset.

I don't doubt for a moment that 91% of Republicans would vote for a Jewish candidate. Most of them are decent, sensible people. The hard fact remains, however, that the extremists and fools who have hijacked that party would never give him the nomination.

And as far as that poll that says only 45 percent of democrats say that the country is ready for a Jewish president; what poll is that? Forgive me but I don't believe those numbers.

Isn't 91% of Republicans more than enough to get someone the Presidential nomination?

As for the "country ready" poll, I found it again on this link - but I remembered the numbers a little wrong, admittedly - it was actually 48% for Democrats (rather than 45%) and 58% for Republicans (rather than 65%) - still a noticeable difference of 10%. Independents were at 59%. The numbers are flipped around, though, when it comes to a female candidate. Well, see for yourself...http://www.gallup.com/poll/24832/Six-Americans-Think-US-Ready-Female-President.aspx#

Here is the general "would you personally vote for poll", which covers that question asked in previous decades as well as in 2007 for all manner of groups. It is pretty interesting.http://www.gallup.com/poll/26611/Some-Americans-Reluctant-Vote-Mormon-72YearOld-Presidential-Candidates.aspx

In general, I really think it's more about the candidate specifically than their religion/ethnicity. We know Ronald Reagan was elected Governor in 1966 and President in 1980. OK. Let's say another Hollywood actor, Kirk Douglas, followed that career path instead of Reagan. Douglas was (and is) Jewish. He was a much, much more popular actor in the 1950s than Reagan, and probably just as charismatic. He was also a "cowboy star", among other things. Surely, he could have been elected governor in 1966 (wouldn't have been California's first Jewish governor). Could he have gotten the Republican nomination in 1980 and won the Presidency following that? I think so. Would he have gotten less enthusiasm than Reagan from some pockets of the party? Maybe. But still.

Romney is a much stiffer candidate who's widely considered a flip-flopper. In many ways, he's like the Republicans' John Kerry. Despite that "70% for Mormons" figure, I think he could have gotten the nomination, and in all probability, he could well get it in 2012.

Hi Tom, stopping by after your comment on my blog. LOVE your site and looking forward to reading more rants. We are definitely on the same page.

I sat in stunned disbelief as I watched the clip of Michele Bachmann talk about the abortion field trips that were going to happen under Mommy's and Daddy's noses. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that she's for real, but then she opens her mouth and out pops another nugget of crazy. She's like an insane Pez dispenser! :D

Cantor might win the award for biggest douche in the universe. A friend of mine who works in his office sent me this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOIrBPbDZz8

The video repeats the word “require” over and over again – it doesn’t actually say anything of substance about the bill, but creates the impression of a bill laden with heavy government mandates that will reduce your freedom. They really have no qualms about deceiving the American people.

"Mitch McConnell, to his credit, always looks quite uncomfortable when he is forced to justify policies as atrocious as those being put forward these days by that hideous party."

In an otherwise fine piece, I can't agree with you re McConnell. I think he's stupid and I think he lies. If he, as you say, always looks quite uncomfortable, then he should have the courage not to be a spokesperson for such nonsense.

BTW, I heard former Spkr of the House Bill Frist on NPR as he said he supported health care reform. Where's he been all this time?

Michele Bachmann is a disgrace to the USA, MN, and the 6th. If you're interested in getting rid of Bachmann, support democratic candidate Dr. Maureen Reed! You can learn more about Maureen, and donate, at:http://maureenreedforcongress.com/andhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_Reed

Why don't these tokens understand their proper place in the Rushpubliscum Party? First "Rochester" Steele thinks he can just go around shooting off his mouth, and now this?!? These arrogant folks need to go see Ken Blackwell and learn how they are SUPPOSED to act!

I would just like to say this, to let you know. It's not the republicans or democrats that are bad for this society. They are just two groups on different sides of the tree, supporting it with their beliefs. It's extremist like you, the ones who want to get rid of one of the supports which will make the tree topple who are the truly appalling "Americans". If you can even call yourself one.

I must admit, I always thought the first President of a more recent African heritage would be a moderate sort of Republican (rather than a moderate sort of Dem, as we seem to have gotten now) probably someone very similar to Colin Powell.

What Obama's election means for other non-majority group candidates is a good question. Too soon to know.

Tom - Thanks for stopping by our blog. You have the distinction of being the first liberal commentor to actually admit to having your own blog...Anyway, in case you forgot, you said: "The right wing is positively giddy that the United States will not be hosting the Olympics. Seriously, has it dawned on you yet how utterly despicable these people are? I was just wonderin'."The "loss" saved the good people of Chicago a few hundred million dollars footing the bill for an entertainment event, and I'm still not sure why an entertainment event was worth so much of our President's time and our tax dollars spent for him to go beg for it. Yep, I kinda thought it was funny that we didn't get it. Is that despicable?

Remember when Harry Reid was almost giddy that "the war is lost!" Really, which do you consider more despicable?

Contrary to Romy and Michelle, Frodo does not take credit for inventing SpellChek (sp?), but he has met the guy who did invent it. The gentleman's next invention was the structural insulated panel (SIP) (which is a structural retardant to explosives). Do you think he was trying to tell us something?

Cantor is a weenie and Romney is the "Man from Glad" on steroids. Frodo wishes he could disagree with your assessment about religion and electability, but he cannot. It would have been interesting however for Romney and Lieberman to have been the Republicant Ticket in '08.

Southwest Minuteman, first of all bless your heart. I'm so sorry that you had to type that idiots name from Nevada on your post. I hope you are feeling better and try not to type his name ever again for your own health.

The reason why we are happy that Chicago lost was because of who was sent to Copenhagen to seal the deal. That's correct, O-Shit and crew went and were laughed at. If true Chicago legends like Walter Payton's wife in honor of Walter, Michael Jordan, Dick Butkus, Hillary (unfortunately), a member of the Capone family, Blago or even George Wendt from Cheers would have sealed the deal compared to the trash that was sent there. Good for the IOC for not bowing down to this idiot and doing the right thing. Rio sent the legendary Pele, a man who is better than our useless pres in all aspects of life. Unlike O-shit, Pele has accomplished more than just leading Brazil to 4 World Cups. He broke down racial barriers to levels only seen with great men like MLK. To that I say "Damn right I'm happy Chicago and US lost this one".Also, to think of the curruption and suffering the people of Chicago would have gone through with all the planning and building associated with hosting the Olympics. You think folks from Chi town get screwed now, can you imagine what could have been?

In regards to Cantor. I respect him and have been following him quite a bit the past 4-5 months. Anyone who bashes Biden consistently gets my vote!

Love the blog Tom, but folks should stop taking the trolls so seriously. Trolls get their jollies dropping their little right-wing extremist bombs, then sitting back to see what happens. They make me laugh.

Kinda like Madonna struttin' around in her underwear - they love the attention.

Your spell-check adventure reminds me of an episode in my unlamented interlude at IBM. In the late '80s we had internal forums or bulletin boards--precursors to blogs, I suppose--through which employees world-wide could converse about supposedly work-related topics. I was on the one for "information development" (IBMspeak for technical writers) and, as you may imagine, a bunch of writers can claim just about any "communication" is work related.

One day somebody plugged his own name into the spell checker with some fascinating results, and we were off for the day on seeing what else we could turn up. I remember only two:

One guy, named Simcha Gralla, got back the correction "simian gorilla." One of our British folks plugged in Thatcherism (Margaret Thatcher being PM at the time) and got back the grim prognosis, "There is no alternative to Thatcherism."

He seems like an affable chap. Sporting that all American look his image exudes honestly and dare I say "Trust". But alas when he opens his mouth his utterances are so reflective of Far Right dogma they actually cut like a knife. He is the quintessential Stepford Talking Head...scary